The school year is off to a great start in Room 18. I hope your child is feeling excited about fifth grade and is looking forward to coming to school each day!
I will be sending home book orders on Friday, the 26th. Book orders are a great way to support a love of reading at a low cost. I will be sending home multiple book orders, but you can write just one check for all of them. You may also order online and pay with a credit/debit card. If you order online you will need to enter the code GYLY7. This will let you into my account. I do send home a "little kids" book order for those of you who may have small children or grandchildren. At anytime throughout the year if you would like to order something for a surprise or gift for your child, just send me a note. I will be happy to keep your secret and will let you know when you can pick it up in the office.
Math
We are reviewing place value and how to compare, order, and round numbers this week. The kids are doing a great job! We are also doing multiplication fact timings in order to get the kids ready for more advanced math. Your child has 5 minutes to complete 110 facts. Many of them are well on their way to becoming Math Fact Masters! If your child is still struggling with his/her basic facts, please spend some time practicing them. It will make a world of difference as we get into our units on multiplication, division, fractions, and geometry.
Reading
First, let me start by saying that that I do not only want children to learn strategies on how to read, but I want them to develop a love of reading. In my opinion, that is difficult to achieve by simply following a basal textbook where they read a short selection and answer the questions at the end. We will be reading a variety of books, some in a whole class setting, many in small groups, often in a variety of subjects, and each child will be provided 20 minutes several times a week in order to read a book of personal choice. Your child will also complete different activities and projects designed to improve comprehension and critical thinking. This year your child will be expected to read several different genres of books. Many times a child who claims to not like reading takes off and soars when exposed to different genres.
This week your child was given a quick word recognition screening in the classroom, and took a reading level assessment with one of our Title One aides. This gives us a good benchmark on where the students are at. We will use this information to put together intervention groups for any students who need a little extra support, as well as determining appropriate books for each child in our guided reading groups.
In the classroom we have begun reading a class novel called The Homework Machine by Dan Gutman. As we read the students will be doing journal writing, comparisons and contrasts, predicting, and using critical thinking skills.
Our read aloud book is Weasel by Cynthia DeFelice. It is set in 1839 and is action packed with some very intense scenes. It offers the kids a great springboard for discussions on prejudice, attitudes, optimism vs. pessimism, and the effect of one person on a community. Ask your child to tell you about it!
Spelling
This week's list is a school themed list, meaning all of the words have to do with school. I have also given the students a spelling assessment that will let me know where each child is at with spelling. Depending on the results, I will probably be offering a minimum of two different spelling lists. I am observing a wide range of spelling abilities in this group of students, and want to assure that each child has access to a list that will be both challenging and within their capabilities. In order for multiple lists to be used effectively, though, the students will need to take a greater responsibility in their spelling activities and studying at home.
Language Arts/Writing
We have been reviewing parts of a letter, as well as writing in our journals during class. Many of the students have said that punctuation, spelling, and coming up with ideas are very difficult for them. I will continue assessing during these early weeks in order to provide lessons that are tailored to this particular group.
Be prepared this year for A LOT of writing, across the curriculum. We are using the new common core curriculum this year, and it calls for a major increase in the amount and quality of writing done by fifth graders across the nation. I am excited. Your child will receive specific writing strategy lessons about three times a week during our Writer's Workshop, and will have uninterrupted writing time each day to practice those strategies.
Social Studies
Maps are magnificent! We are learning about maps and the different regions, waterways, and mountain ranges located in the United States. Your child will navigate around the globe using latitude and longitude lines to find specific locations.
Science
I just love it when I can show real-life applications to science, and boy, has this week cooperated! We are learning about the layers of the earth and plate tectonics. As earthquakes occur and volcanoes erupt, we will be mapping them on our wall map this year (We've already got three earthquakes up!). If you happen to catch news of an eruption or earthquake on the news, discuss it with your child. It's fun to see the ring of fire appear on our map.
